The UFC men's bantamweight division is starting to heat up at the top of the rankings. We just had two Top 5 contenders battle it out this past Saturday, but there is one fighter outside looking in that has been lurking in the shadows: Umar Nurmagomedov.
Umar Nurmagomedov took to his Twitter account to say that Dana White and the UFC offered him a fight against Merab Dvalishvili for the no. 1 contender spot. Unfortunately, that is too soon for Dvalishvili to return to action.
ufc @danawhite offer me main event, May 13 I accept against Merab he have injury I wish him a speedy recovery, but I’m waiting to share the cage with him June or July
— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) March 27, 2023
Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili accepted to fight one another
The feeling was mutual when both Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili were offered to fight one another. Nurmagomedov told his fans on Twitter that Dvalishvili wasn't cleared to fight which is why the fight isn't happening on May 13th. Dvalishvili then confirmed it's the truth.
🚨 I talked to Merab Dvalishvili about Umar Nurmagomedov's callout and tweet.
This is what he told me 👇#UFC #MMA #MerabDvalishvili #UFConSetantaSports pic.twitter.com/9oSiFtMFtd
— Giorgi Kokiashvili 🇬🇪 ✊ 🇺🇦 (@iHeartGeorgius1) March 27, 2023
Dvalishvili isn't one to back down from a fight even when the fighter he is lined up to fight isn't deserving of it. He is a fighter that fights with pride, but sometimes pride can cloud one's judgement as this would arguably be his toughest fight in the division.
There is a reason why when Nurmagomedov calls out fighters in the bantamweight division. The cousin of former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is an undefeated professional at 16-0 and is one of the main training partners for current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Umar Nurmagomedov says one more win gets him a title shot
Umar Nurmagomedov is having the same effect on the bantamweight division as Islam Makhachev had on the lightweight division on his way to his title shot. No one wanted to fight Makhachev but eventually someone within Top 5 had to do, and he was then given an immediate title shot thereafter. The same could happen for Nurmagomedov here, as one more signature win could get him a title shot.
He believes that a win against either Merab Dvalishvili or Cory Sandhagen could solidify him as the next one to contend for the title.
Merab and Cory in this year
It’s will be enough for title shot— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) March 26, 2023
Seeing as the top of the division is pretty much at a stalemate with Merab Dvalishvili at the top and Aljamain Sterling as the champion, fighters will be leap frogging Dvalishvili for a title shot. That leaves Sean O'Malley most likely being next in line for a title fight regardless of who wins between Sterling and Henry Cejudo.
That just leaves Dvalishvili, Cory Sandhagen and what it looks like Umar Nurmagomedov in the mix to fight each other for the next title shot after O'Malley. Many believe that Sandhagen deserves that chance before anyone else. However, it seems like once Dvalishvili is back from injury, the fight with Nurmagomedov is first on Dana White and the UFC's radar.
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